When it is necessary to measure particular quantities of bulk products, it is often necessary to utilize a measuring device such as a graduated cylinder or the like. However, such measuring devices, and often other objects, are then contaminated with the measured product. The primary area of contamination will be the internal surface of the measuring device. However, due to the surface tension of liquids, the liquid dispensing spout of a measuring device or bulk material container also often retains a small quantity of liquid material or drip on its external surface after pouring ceases. This quantity forms a droplet, which may fall or be brushed off the device or container, or dissipate into a drip run or film on the exterior surface of the container. Powdered or dusty materials provide significant contamination in a similar manner, since powder or dust measuring or other handling normally leaves a contaminant dust layer or film on the container, measuring device, and surroundings. Spills or splashes of bulk material may also occur during measuring operations, thereby contaminating the operator, the operator's clothing, work surfaces or other objects in the work place.
Measuring devices, related articles, clothing, the worker's skin, and the work area often need to be cleaned of this contamination prior to use, transport, or storage of the transferred or measured material. The objective may be ordinary sanitation, or may be to reduce the danger to the environment or to workers or persons from a hazardous contaminating material. For example, a person may inadvertently contact a contaminated surface, or may use the contaminated device to carry food material. If the device is used for another material prior to cleaning, traces of the first will contaminate the second. Chemical reaction is possible between the two substances, and may result in troublesome or dangerous consequences, including serious personal or property damage.
Thorough cleaning of measuring devices contaminated with food materials or medical wastes is also needed, to discourage vermin, insects, or microbial infestation. Public health concerns dictate a high standard of cleanliness for such devices.
In general, the cleaning of measuring devices, work areas, and related articles is inconvenient and time-consuming, adding to the expense of commercial operations. In many situations, particularly in medical, agricultural and horticultural applications, and in the use of various industrial chemicals, it may be particularly time-consuming, impractical, or dangerous to clean the measuring device thoroughly after use. The measured material may adhere strongly to the device, requiring numerous vigorous rinses or special cleaning agents. An example is the herbicide Surflan A. S. (DowElanco Corp.), of which one component is an aniline dye which is extremely difficult to clean off surfaces. In other cases, liquids spilled or splashed during handling or measuring may be absorbed into materials upon contact, or dust particles may lodge in small crevices. As a result, it may be practically impossible to remove contamination in the field. In addition, there is no known technology to absorb or otherwise pick up a droplet, spill, or a dust or liquid film, without the device used becoming contaminated with the material. In the case of hazardous materials, cleaning of contamination is very important, yet cleaning procedures increase the chances of exposure to the operator.
For many medical, agricultural and industrial chemicals, the contaminated rinse and wash liquids from cleaning operations are classified as regulated substances and may not be released into the environment through dumping or disposal through a drain system. Rinsate often must be placed in the container holding the solution to be used, or in separate containers for later use or for regulated disposal. However, it can often be very difficult to effectively wash a measuring device so that the rinsate is fully collected into a container. The shape of the measuring device may not be easily cleaned by rinsing agents, and capturing and directing the rinsate into a relatively narrow-mouthed opening of a container is often very difficult. The operation of rinsing a device may also inadvertently splash and contaminate non-target areas. This is, for example, the case when rinsing pesticide measuring devices into a typical 2-3 gallon compressed air sprayer tank prior to application of the pesticide.
The inconvenience or difficulty inherent in the cleaning process often result in measuring devices, cleaning devices, and other objects being stored or transported in a contaminated condition, or improperly disposed of instead of being cleaned. With many hazardous materials, longstanding regulations prohibit such disposal except in regulated disposal sites. However, the cost of proper disposal is so high that non-compliance is widespread, and considerable environmental pollution occurs. If different measuring devices are used for different applications, to avoid cleaning each single device, then the risks from contamination during handling, transport and storage are further multiplied.
The problem of transport and storage of normally bulky measuring devices has been addressed by patents such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,464 to Leigh, which discloses a foldable and unfoldable measuring device for measuring quantities of particulate materials. However, since such a device is designed for re-use, it must be cleaned to eliminate the risks from contamination during transportation, sequential uses, and disposal when no longer suitable for use.
The inconveniences and hazards of using and cleaning measuring devices that are contaminated by chemical residue have been addressed in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,892,905 to Albert discloses the use of prepackaged, premeasured amounts of chemicals wherein the packages are soluble, and made from thin films of a polymer of polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinyl pyrrolidone. Other patents, such as U.S. Pat. No. 2,091,993 to Jones and U.S. Pat. No. 2,580,414 to Duffey disclose soluble capsules containing a premeasured amount of material, wherein the capsule bodies are made of gelatin, regenerated cellulose, or a starch film. However, in order to use such devices at a job site to dispense a desired amount of material, the user is at the mercy of the packager with respect to what chemicals and what prepackaged quantities of chemicals are available for use in this form. Lack of congruence is also common between the prepackaged quantity and the amount needed for a particular use. In the case of pesticides to be sprayed, a worker using premeasured packages will often have the incorrect quantity of material needed for a precisely calibrated, legal, or efficient application in a given area.
Therefore, there is a need for measuring devices, and for methods and systems for using the same, that are convenient and safe for the customized measurement of materials in the field, that require little or no cleaning of the devices, and that provide greatly reduced contamination, convenient, proper and cost effective disposal, and protection of the worker and the environment in general.
In addition to measuring devices, certain related articles are needed to completely realize the benefits of methods and systems of reducing or eliminating the time, complications, and environmental or personal safety risks involved in measuring bulk materials. These articles relate to the transfer of materials between containers and the measuring device, to the protection of the operator, the work surface, and surrounding areas or articles, and to the wiping, absorption, or suction of splashes or spills.
The invention described and claimed herein provides articles, systems and methods which satisfy the above needs for convenient and cost effective protection of the worker environment and the environment in general.